Digital BW, The Print

David Kachel <david@...> wrote:

> ... anyone can throw which four inks into what kind of printer?

Carbon inks of various densities, glossy compatible or not, are readily available from our usual suppliers.  

For example, and putting them in order of density, MIS glossy compatible carbon inks include:  K4-PK, UT7-C, K4-LK, UT7-LC, and K4-LLK.

The MIS K4 inks are at http://www.inksupply.com/arcink_k4.cfm

The UT7 inks are at http://www.inksupply.com/ut7_7600.cfm
(The UT7 LK and LLK are not 100% carbon.)

Eboni MK, not glossy compatible, is used in most MIS inksets.

Dilute Eboni-6, matte paper only, is at http://inksupply.com/eb6.cfm

With my old 7500, when I wanted both matte and glossy priting, I used the following setup: http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/4K+.pdf

With this type of inkset, the pigments are very stable in suspension.  My centrifuge tests of MIS LK, for example, show it to settle more slowly than Epson K3 LK.

Virtually any Epson printer can be used, but you'll need empty cars &/or a CIS.  As a practical matter, it's always easier to follow what others have done and made available.


> And where would one get said "light colors of choice"? 

Pay the fee to get into Aardenburg-Imaging and see which inksets have the most stable C, M, & Y colors.  It's there.

I used, for example, Epson LM with the MIS carbon in the 7500 K4+ inkset mentioned above.

> Do I understand correctly that it would be possible for me to put together my own largely carbon inkset that would allow me to vary brown tone to most any degree I desire?

Yes.

Look for colors from Epson and HP that are the closest to what you need.  If one is not exact, then you want the two that are the closest  -- one on each side of your ideal.  The greater the hue angle separation, the more likely there will be visible differential fade.  If there are 2 color inks used, you'd also like to see that their fade rates in the AaI tests are very close to each other.  All of the colors will fade faster than carbon, so there is inevitable drift to the carbon tone, but it'll take a long time and not wiggle around too much if the hue angle is narrow, the pigments are very highly rated at AaI and fade relatively equally.  

(See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Color_Basics.jpg for some basics with respect to color terms, etc.)

> Please be specific or point me to where I might find this information. 

The fade test data in is at http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com/  

Those who pay the fee have access to enormous resources.

How to put in together is on this list.



Paul
www.PaulRoark.com